


Tie a red thread around my heart

by clumsykitty



Category: Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics), Marvel, Marvel Earth 616
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Captain America/Iron Man Reverse Bang 2020, Classic Comics, Earth 616 - Freeform, Happy Ending, Identity Porn, M/M, Romance, Stony - Freeform, soulmate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24119866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clumsykitty/pseuds/clumsykitty
Summary: Steve resigned as Captain America. Tony dropped his armor from the alcohol. They both made that decision looking for their soul mate.People say that we always seek what is in front of us all the time.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Tony Stark & OC
Comments: 12
Kudos: 67
Collections: Captain America/Iron Man Reverse Bang 2020





	Tie a red thread around my heart

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired in the old numbers of Captain America and Ironman (the Nomad arc and Mandarin arc respectively). With a change because I love make changes.
> 
> Thank you so much to my artist, Cathalinaheart for her patience with me in these trouble times!! 
> 
> Thank you at the mods of the event, for the opportunity.

**TIE A RED THREAD AROUND MY HEART**

Steve

Everybody knows the story, but at some point, they heard about it for the first time in their lives. To Steve Rogers, he was in a dinner with her mother, months after his father Joseph passed away. They were in silence, eating slowly the few carrots and beans that meant to be the main dish. Sarah raised her head and smiled at him, one hand caressing his short blond hair.

"When you meet your Soulmate, a red thread appears in front of your eyes. It's connected from your heart to your mate's heart."

"Is that true, mom?"

"Yes, darling."

"Did you…" Steve gulped, "Did you see it with dad?"

Sarah's smile faded and denied with a tiny voice. "No."

"Then, how…?"

"Because there are others, luckier than me, that saw it, baby."

"Will I see it?"

"I'm sure you will, Steve. I know you will."

Years passed and Steve never saw the famous Soulmate Red Thread. He believed that Peggy could do that magic, but nothing happened. He was frozen and met Sharon Carter with his disappointment appearing again. Not because she wasn't worthy. Sharon proved to be the best companion and fighter that Steve could imagine. They understood very well and she always was a cheerleader for him in doubt times.

Then, there was the Secret Empire incident.

Maybe he suspected it when things started to go weird in SHIELD, but he trusted Ironman's words. Not everybody could be a moron. Common sense said the golden Avenger. But Ironman disappeared when Steve needed him the most, once HYDRA destroyed his trust in the government. When Captain America asked for help from his best friend, he founded himself alone against something that was cracking his decision about the shield and the uniform. Those old ghost coming from the past whispering the words what made him felt vulnerable, lost.

That's why he decided to drop the title and left his identity as Captain America. Steve couldn't handle his disappointment after the Secret Empire incident and the loss of his beloved friend Ironman in one single punch of life.

Steve shared with Ironman the same bitter about the Red String. Shellhead -as Steve named him- stopped in the search of his Soulmate after so many years of trying and later, with the Avengers adventures, he simply thought that being a hero was something more important that got a mater. Even they joked about started a club of Soulmate Losers and gave some talks on the weekends as if such a thing could happen in their lives as Avengers. Steve loved Ironman laughs, his point of view, sometimes harsh, sometimes very realistic and true. More than once, he wished to ask Ironman to remove his helmet and saw the man inside the armor. To give him for the first time a good hug and told him how grateful he was for everything.

But Ironman was gone.

At that point in his life, Steve got mad with him. He called Ironman a coward, maybe a traitor in some of his rants against the bathroom's mirror. Steve decided to move on and continue with his life, Sharon and he living the life without missions or those awful moments when they were in danger because a villain coming from another part of the universe or HYDRA trying to ruin their lives. And again, there was that feeling, the need of being a hero. Not as Captain America but something else. Sharon disagreed with the idea and left him. He let her go in silence.

"I can't live without fighting the injustice or just let pass the bad things", Steve told to Falcon, "I'm sure that Ironman neither. And he taught me how the world could be without someone protecting it."

"But what are you going to do?"

"Being a hero."

"Just like a normal man?"

"I will figure it out."

He remembered those old times in the Army when all the soldiers learned to sew and have their uniforms always presentable. So, he put his imagination on the lead, and besides, Steve thought in what Ironman could think of his decision while he chose the dark blue fabric and the golden gloves. He got excited with the idea of making his suit, including a cape, smiling on the image of Ironman telling him the cons of using a cape while fighting the injustice and crime in Nueva York. Steve stopped for a moment when he realized that he was giving to Shellhead to much time in his mind.

In the television, he heard about the missing of Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries, apparently after problems with some demands and frauds. No one was sure, but now the former millionaire and genius were lost and the company was in Obadiah Stane's hands. Steve frowned, he didn't know what to feel about that because Tony Stark was something, he always reserved his opinion of him at Ironman's presence. He guessed that now Shellhead disappeared, that millionaire lost his way and stuck in troubles. He shrugged and continued with his work.

"Finally."

Steve smiled at his work, looking at the mirror with a smile. Not so bad for a senior citizen. Time to prove the uniform in action.

He went out, searching for the opportunity that appeared and let him prove his movements against the bad men, saving the day. He felt good, free, and strong. Until that instant, Steve didn't know how much he liked being a hero despise of the troubles and the deception in the past days. The press talked about him as the new hero of the streets and with a little help, he will be a new Avenger if he could find Ironman hideout. He wished to hear what could say about that new look. The jokes and maybe, just maybe convinced him of return to the team.

For now, Nomad was born.

* * *

Tony

Howard told him not to believe in the red thread.

María didn't agree.

Tony grew up with half of his heart waiting for his Soulmate and the other half giving up over the topic for the sake of his life. He never expected what happened in Vietnam or became an Avenger. Or found his teenager dream frozen in the Arctic. There were many things to forget the red thread theme, so he did it. Tony concentrated in his company, the Avenger team, and to teach the poor soul of Captain America how to live in a futuristic world. His world had bright colors, and for a very narrow instant, the genius thought in the possibility of being happy with that.

Just a little.

"Hey, Shellhead."

"What with the name, Captain?"

"I like it, it suits you."

Tony smiled behind the mask. "Only if I can call you Winghead instead."

"That sounds fair to me."

"Seriously, what is going on with those wings?"

"It's my luck's amulet."

"Please, don't tell me that you believe in such things."

"To possess a life meaning, you have to believe in something, Ironman."

"If you say so."

Of course, he didn't blame anyone for his alcoholism. That demon only belonged to him. In the whiskey, his shattered dreams vanished as the ice twisting in the glass. Maybe he was a fool for had trust in his mother's idea about finding his mate and reach the forbidden happiness. Maybe Howard was right and the Soulmate was reserved for extraordinary people, the one who made better the world. Like Captain America, for instance. Tony offered to him search for his other half even if his mate already died. To give him that gift distracted the genius from important issues as HYDRA compromised SHIELD and the government in a blink. He felt that it was his fault.

"Tony, are you okay?" Rhodey asked very concernedly.

"Marvelous."

"You don't seem marvelous. What happened?"

"… you know? I'd never seen Captain America so mad with me."

"Did you argue with him?"

"I disappoint him, Rhodey."

"How?"

Tony made a fake smile. "Doesn't matter. It was my fault."

"Tony, please…"

"I need to check something with Obadiah. Are you free this Friday for lunch?"

"Yes… listen, Tony."

"Thank you, Rhodey. See ya."

He even didn't see Obadiah's perfidious plan. From one day to another, he was in the streets, without money or someone to help him. Tony's thirsty gained force and his mind told him that being a bugler wasn't a bad idea, after all, he could drink all day. So far away from the hurtful thought of lost Captain America trust and his friendship when he insisted on work with the government when HYDRA already infected it with his agents and attacks. Or the memory of his bright smiles, those blue eyes opening so big when they saw it the new technology that Tony created for him. Someone who could saw through him and not only try to pretend.

There was a little chance that he overreacted at Captain America's words, and that made Tony think in how deep in his heart was the man. He even cared more for the old soldier than his own life -and choices by the way-, giving more weight at those words than his own beliefs. But that was because he founded out that Cap had something that Tony didn't, that optimism, will, and values to face the problems and the punches of life. The kind type that made his heart meltdown like ice cream and felt for a short time that he was a good man, a good hero.

Tony blame himself for the Secret Empire incident, if he wasn't so busy trying to drink some of that damm whiskey, he could avoid a few things like having SHIELD compromised or lost Captain America trust in the government and on him. And now, he was looking desperately for another drink since Obadiah left him in the streets, no one would help him because he was Tony Stark. The man who didn't care for the others and live as he wanted without regrets.

Well, now he regretted it.

"Do you have a penny for this man?"

"Get out of my way, stinky!"

The world still needed Captain America, there were so many troubles and villains out there to forget the uniform and let the normal people fought against them. In his mind, Tony felt guilty for Cap's resignation. He could find him, after all, he had his name -he was too curious to not search for it- but without the resources or the money. He wasn't able to do anything. So, he only could beg for coins in the streets, bought some bottles, and drank it all until he passed out in the corner of an alley or on some dirty sofa inside an old building where thieves and whores lived.

When the whiskey was run out from his body, Tony thought in Captain America, how would be if he trusted instead on him when Cap's intuition was telling him that they were inside a web, HYDRA's web. The man always trusted in Ironman's decision even when it involved risks or the critics of other Avengers. Tony thought that he could do the same for once. Show him that their friendship was bulletproof. He could be with the super-soldier right now, chatting and drinking some coffee in the Avenger's mansion.

But Tony failed him and his only company was Gretl, that poor pregnant woman.

* * *

Steve

He missed Ironman.

A lot.

The things with the Nomad identity worked more or less well, but he wasn't satisfied at all, something was missing and Steve soon realized that it was Ironman advice and jokes with the intention of open his eyes into a new concept or made him understand a problem since another point of view. Nomad was a free agent and that was perfect for a while, now with the shadows of HYDRA, Steve needed help, companion, and support from someone smart, cocky and protected with a metallic armor. He thought many nights on came back to the Avengers and asked them for help to convince Ironman to return at their side… at his side. Meanwhile, he was a new hero of the street called Nomad, Steve saw in the news that his former friend was in Asia, fighting a strange man. That made him smile. Ironman was a hero like him, they could never leave their duties as protectors of the Earth.

But Asia was too far from New York and Viper was moving faster than Nomad.

"Did you hear about the new Captain America?", Asked Falcon while they were patrolling.

"Yes, I already told him that was a bad idea. Not because he isn't prepared for the uniform, but the risks."

"Maybe if the real Captain…"

"No, I can't."

"He is only a human."

"Precisely, if the serum is the only thing that makes me worthy, I don't want the title."

Falcon didn't push and Steve gave thanks for that. The idea of think on himself as only a superhuman brought something else. And was Viper's fault.

"You're not Captain America", She said once when Nomad stopped her in the bank, "You can't defeat me, my only match was Captain America but without his partner, he's nothing as well."

Steve remembered very well the day when Ironman was talking with him in a balcony in the Avenger's Mansion after a mission. Steve was disappointed with himself because he felt that he wasn't fit in the new world with new values and new technology. Then Ironman put a hand on his shoulder and told him that Captain America was the most important thing in the world because he was the mainstay of everything, especially in the modern times when everybody could get lost.

"You're my lighthouse, Cap", Ironman tightened his shoulder, and Steve swore that he almost felt so calm and relaxed, "Without you, I'll be lost as well."

"Don't say such a thing. You were Ironman before me and after me."

"Maybe, but I'm better now that I knew you. Because you taught how to be a real hero, not only this metallic body."

"And you taught me my value as a man, my friend," Steve put his hand on the gauntlet, wishing he could remove the metal and touch the real hand.

"Seems that we can learn from each other."

"And be the best heroes together."

Ironman laughed, he was so close and Steve felt so full of energy…

Like if Ironman was important in his life.

Or something else.

And while he was jumping, kicking, or being a hound searching for Viper's tracks, he noticed that his efforts had a lack of spark, meaning, fuel… At first, Steve thought it was his imagination. Sitting on a corner watching the people on the streets walked from one side to another whispering about how odd was Captain America nowadays -they didn't know his identity but they could sense that the man using the uniform wasn't the same when he was with the Avengers-, he felt empty on his heart. More than Sharon's absence, more than the shield or the uniform, more than the Avengers themselves. Except for one, the same who was flying over Shanghai fighting ghosts.

"If you were here," Steve dared to speak out loud his mind, "Probably you were telling me how foolish I am for this Nomad appearance".

He shut up and walked backward when he noticed that he was talking about Ironman. What if…? He shook his head. No. No. It was only the habit of being with the golden Avenger all the time. Steve saw Redwing flying alone again and frowned. Something was wrong, Redwing never flew like that without Falcon at its side. He looked around; the young hero wasn't near. The bird disappeared from his sight, so Steve decided to follow him, and once more, he stopped on the edge of the roof with the strange feeling about Ironman. Arnie founded his Red Thread and his mate was another man. Nomad straightened up and jump down to the alley, with his heart racing.

Could be…?

There was a little chance that his search finally came at its end. As Nomad, Steve allowed himself to smile with the slight hope of having his Soulmate so close and so far at the same time. But if he could try, maybe his reward will be the last piece that his life needed so much. His ideas stopped at once when he saw Falcon in the roofs, hurt, and tied on the ground. One day, Ironman told him that they will never leave their identities as heroes because they were born in them, raised in them and no one else could fit their tracks in the same way as them. A flower can't replace another flower even if it's exactly at the other, precisely because it is something else, whispered Ironman while he was looking at a newspaper with the picture of the Avengers fighting HYDRA.

The young police officer who was his replacement as Captain America was dead.

Steve felt dry his throat, with tears in his eyes at the sight of the innocent boy who wanted to maintain alive the dream of what represented for him, Captain America. The fault? In Falcon's version was Red Skull who returned from the dead to claim vengeance against Steve. In Rogers' version, it was completely his fault. He never should leave the uniform. He knelt, bowing his head to the body of the young officer trying to offer a sincere apology. Too much enthusiasm and little reason. Nomad was a good intention but Captain America was a weight that Steve only could bear. He took the shield, looking at his reflection on the surface.

"Cap… look at this. I didn't notice earlier."

"What is was, my friend?"

Falcon raised from the ground a newspaper picture of Ironman, stained with blood, marked with a huge X as a promise of being the next target. Red Skull thought that he murdered the real Captain America and now was after Ironman…

Why?

One thing was sure for Steve, he will never make the same mistake. Not again.

* * *

Tony

The first time Tony saw his red thread was in the train station just when he was watching the railways as if these long steel lines could tell him where Gretl was. The funny thing was that he wasn't thinking in that woman but Captain America. How much he missed him too now that his street friend was gone. At the instant, a red thread appeared in front of his eyes, sprouting from his heart and continued far away from the railways to nowhere. A beautiful bright red thread that Tony reached out to touch, ignoring the crown around, at the eyes of the people he was touching the air. He was touching an impossible dream coming true and letting him know that, indeed, he possessed a red thread, a Soulmate.

At first, Tony thought it was a trick of his mind because of the lack of alcohol. The possibility of a hallucination crossed his mind. He didn't deserve it, not at that moment of his life, not at any moment of his life. But the red thread was real for the five seconds it lasted, a peek of the wanted life Tony always wished all those years came to his eyes in the worst moment. He didn't understand why that happened, after all, he couldn't remember something different. Tony was looking after Gretl and he finished at the train station when a woman shouted.

"Captain America was here!" She almost screamed in his left ear, "He was looking for the thieves! I saw him!"

Tony resisted the urge of asking her where she spotted Cap, walking at the opposite side until he was out of the train station like someone who just witnessed a ghost. The cold breeze hit his face, brushing his hair tenderly and Tony felt annoyed because he was stunned by his vision of the red thread and at the same time, he was terrified for the proximity of Captain America.

"Two sides of the same coin," Tony whispered to himself bitterly, "As always. I need whiskey now… I need to forget and find Gretl, damm."

All his short-term plans were dismissed when he saw Pepper in the distance, crossing the street talking with an assistant. Tony froze, turning around with the intention of run away from her as soon as possible before Pepper noticed him. He put his trust in his appearance, a bugler, one of many in New York. But his luck was on vacation, she recognized him even in that form from the other side of the streets. Pepper stopped and left her briefcase and cellphone ready to run after him.

"Tony! Tony!" Pepper crossed the street, "Don't you dare to run!"

She reached him by the shoulder, twisting and slapped him before gave him a tight hug with a sigh relief.

"I got you. I got you. You have to come back, Tony. Rhodey almost got killed for being Ironman in Asia. Please, let me…"

"No, Pepper," Tony stopped, shaking his head, "You don't understand…"

"Shut up, Tony. If you are talking about Stane, I made some changes with the lawyers."

"Do you?"

"Who do think I am?" Pepper smiled, her eyes traveling from his toes to head, "Look at you, you can't be like this, Tony."

"I…"

"Come with me. There are many things to do, and you're the only one who can do it."

"Pepper, wait," Tony raised a hand to stop her, "My friend, Gretl, she's missing."

"We can find her, but you have to come back. As the real Tony Stark and Ironman."

Tony gulped without say nothing in response. Surely, he couldn't let Rhodey got hurt instead of him, and if Pepper made the demand against Obadiah, his situation will change, at least enough to have money to find his friend. But he was afraid to fail once more as Ironman, to be alone without Captain America to be completely honest. Pepper didn't have his thoughts, pulling him with force towards the car that was waiting for them on the other side of the street. People looked at them with a smile, a beautiful and elegant woman walking with a bugler, but they didn't say anything. It was New York, so, crazy things were common to see in its streets.

Tony remained in silence back to his tower, wondering where Gretl could be. Pepper was talking but he didn't listen to her at all until she touched his arm, calling his attention.

"Are you alright?"

"Is just… do you think I can come back, Pep?"

"Of course, dear, you say once that your armor and you were the same. Don't let Stane make you think otherwise."

"Thanks to believing in me even in this condition."

"What you're outside doesn't have to do with what you're inside, Tony."

"I'll believe in that."

They avoided the main doors because Tony didn't have the mood to answer questions that he left when Obadiah sue him. Right now, he needed to be Ironman, to find Gretl and if everything didn't turn bad, search for his red thread again. But destiny was always an unknown path.

After good bath, shaving, and new clothes with some food in his stomach, Tony recovered his armor once Rhodey gave him after a hard talk about leaving his duty as an Avenger. Feel the metal against his skin and fly over the city brought to Tony the good memories before answered an emergency call. It came from the Avengers; the police just detected an attempt in a building where a masked man held hostages threatening the police with a bomb. A work for Ironman. Tony knew that he couldn't let it pass, Gretl's search had to wait as his red thread.

"Ironman coming!" He shouted, without noticing his smile when he said it.

When he reached the corner of a roof in the building next to where the hostages were, he saw his read thread once more. Tony opened big his eyes.

"That… is impossible", He whispered, following the path of his red thread, "How… where are you?"

* * *

Steve

"If you go as Captain America, Red Skull will notice the trap."

"Maybe you're right, Falcon."

Steve was thinking in return as Captain America, but Falcon was right, Red Skull was sure by now that he killed his former enemy and the surprise could be an excellent element to catch him. He swore himself that will be his last time as Nomad, after finish his mission, he will return as Cap. It was his duty and the path that he chose. Steve looked at himself in a glass of a window, his reflection on that dark blue uniform, he scaled to the roof, waiting for Redwing sign. Nomad watched the streets below, his thoughts wondering about his fellow Avenger when he got a big gift for his eyes.

A red thread coming from his heart to the horizon.

"In the name of God…"

The wind blew the red thread, like hair floating in the water. Steve forgot his current situation, only thinking about the shocking fact that he was watching his red thread, the one which connected to his Soulmate. If the red thread was there, that meant only a thing: his mate, his Soulmate was near. He sat to breathe and calm himself, with a hand on his chest, feeling his beating heart. He had a Soulmate. Steve smiled, raising his head to the bright sky with joy. That moment was broken when Redwing appeared and shrieked, flying in circles waiting for Nomad to follow it. Steve jumped from his seat, touching the red thread -a ghostly sensation- before ran behind the falcon.

"I have a Soulmate…" He whispered.

Nomad jumped and ran through the roofs, cars, and alleys until he finished in the warehouse that Falcon pointed as the meeting point of HYDRA's elements, Red Skull between them. Steve got worried when he notices that his red thread didn't vanish at that point. Instead, the red color was brighter and stronger like his Soulmate was inside the building, not a good sign. He started to suspect that his mate probably was part of the enemy.

But who?

Steve already fought Viper and other HYDRA's member. At least, as consolation, none of them were his Soulmate. Who was then? His question will be answered when he heard a known sound, a blaster one.

"Ironman…?"

"YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!"

The voice of the yellow Avenger made his heart skipped a beat, smiling and frowning in a blink, running inside the warehouse. His read thread tensed; his Soulmate was almost in front of his eyes. When Nomad reached the fight, all his doubts about the identity of his mate were resolved. The beautiful red thread was connected to the Arc Reactor of Ironman. And Ironman saw it too because he missed a shot to turn around and looked at him. A brief moment where they finally understand what they had been missing all this time.

"Nomad! Duck!" Falcon shouted, pushing him to the ground.

It was like the old times fighting the bad guys between jokes and their coordination as one. Maybe Nomad felt tears in his eyes, maybe Ironman felt his helmet wet for tears. They trapped HYDRA's heads with Falcon assistance, leaving the best part for the last. Red Skull was escaping again. Ironman made a hand sign to Nomad who nodded and ran towards him, using the push of those metallic hands as a trampoline to jump in the air and fell on Red Skull with a thud. A knife appeared but a cannon blast kicked it.

"You're not going to touch him" Ironman growled.

Falcon called SHIELD, they took the prisoners and left the two heroes alone in the warehouse. The red thread was still there, waiting for the final touch between them. Steve couldn't believe it and, at the same time, it made sense. Ironman always supported him, shared time with him. Believe in him in a way that Steve never felt. But now, he needed to see who was behind the mask. Heard the real voice of the man who taught him how to live in the new world and gave him a hope to live.

"Ironman…"

"Who are you?"

Steve almost slapped himself, with all the emotions he forgot that he was in his Nomad costume. He smiled and walked a few steps.

"I think you could guess who I am, after all, we just fought together. You knew my moves as I knew yours. But if you can't imagine it, let me tell you. I am Captain America."

"He was… he was dead. Newspapers…" Ironman stuttered.

"No, he was a good young boy. I shouldn't let him took the shield. I am the real Captain America… the one you name an Avenger."

Steve raised both hands to take off the mask. "I am Steven Grant Rogers."

The silence was such that Steve swore he could hear the creak of the warehouse's wooden planks as the wind hit them. He scratched his nape, waiting for a word that never came.

"Are you… did you see it, right? Our red thread."

_Our_ sounded very good and very strange. But Ironman remained in silence.

"Ironman?"

Steve frown, trying to reach the helmet but Ironman slapped his hand not with force, seemed more like if he was trying to escape but his feet didn't obey him. He was aware that they were Soulmates. Steve smiled at him, understanding what was going on.

"It's okay, I'm afraid too, but… look at the red thread. There isn't a mistake here."

"Y-You don't understand…"

"Let me see your face, please."

"You will be disappointed."

"Could you let me be my choice to make?"

"I am not…"

"Please."

He counted the seconds that Ironman took to remove his helmet with trembling hands. Steve wanted to say something to encourage him but he remained quiet to respect the fact that Ironman was about to reveal his identity. Instead, he offered a warm smile, playing nervously with the mask in his hands. Steve's eyes open big when he discovered who was the yellow Avenger.

"T-Tony Stark…?"

* * *

Tony

Felt again the armor was like if Tony just was living a nightmare and then woke up. He touched the metal and the helmet with tender while Rhodey explained what happened in Asia and the track that pointed to a group of villains, probably and surely HYDRA's member. Tony looked at his friend, now fresh and with the older look.

"Did you find Gretl?"

"No, I'm sorry, Tony. Nobody seems to know her."

"It's funny how easily somebody can disappear from your life even if the person left marks on your soul."

"Tony…"

"Call the Avengers, vacations are over."

Where in the hell was Gretl? She was only a product of his imagination?

Ironman was flying over New York once again, some people on the streets spotted him with cheer. The trial wasn't over, but Pepper Potts presented at the jury the pieces of evidence of Stane's fraud. Soon, the name of Tony Stark will be free of charges and maybe he could reveal his identity… or not. There was a bitter taste on his tongue because of the rumor of Captain America's death. Rhodey told him not to worry because it wasn't confirmed. On the other hand, a new hero appeared in the streets, someone called Nomad that fought and moved as Cap.

"I can be distracted," Tony spoke to himself, "Ironman needs to come back. They need him."

Tony investigated those villains that police shown him, he finished wondering around a closed warehouse with new cars in the back. Very suspicious of a forgotten place. He entered the next store that looked more like a house, with a window where sunset could be watching. For an unknown reason, Tony sat in a corner, looking at the sunset and taking a breath. He was about to jump on the bad guys and he didn't want it. Something was missing and Tony knew was what it. When he was to stand up, a red thread sprouted from his reactor and rolled through the walls.

"What…?"

His Soulmate was near and he was hiding.

"Well, destiny wants me to face my demons and watches me fail once more."

His overthinking mind was already jumping into conclusions, Tony imagined his Soulmate as one of those villains and forever doomed because he couldn't harm his mate even if was his enemy. With such bad thoughts, he prepared his armor, ready to fly and surprise the band. Ironman didn't hesitate, breaking a wall and pushing the first green uniforms he saw. He kicked heads while he descended with elegance to face the leader of those snakes.

"Red Skull…"

"Thank you for making my mission easier, Ironman," Red Skull showed a gun and Ironman shot.

"YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!"

The next thing Tony saw was the famous Nomad breaking in the warehouse with Falcon. He didn't bother the help, but the read thread connecting with the heart of Nomad in that strong -familiar- chest. Nomad noticed too and for a few seconds that last an eternity, both looked each other with the read thread tensed in the wait for a mutual touch.

"Nomad! Duck!"

Ironman was back to business, leaving the read thread flying with him for later. Tony's heart was beating hard as his cannons roaring in the air before shooting.

Nomad was his Soulmate.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed. At least no one of the HYDRA's member was his mate, but he was thinking in some else when the red thread appeared. Tony shook his head, focusing on the fight and the Nomad's movements, so alike as Captain America. They moved as one, and for the next minutes, Tony felt more like the old times than finding that Nomad was very good. Red Skull cursed, maybe he thought he could win but two Soulmates were more than he could face. The man tried to escape, running away but Nomad and Ironman was the same mind and the blond hero fell on Red Skull. A knife attempted to hurt Tony's Soulmate and his blast cannon made the honors.

"You're not going to touch him" He growled.

Mission accomplished. SHIELD came to collect the prisoners, giving thanks to both men. Falcon smiled and walk out of the warehouse saying something about Redwing hungry. Just a pretext to leave them alone. Now it was time to face his Soulmate.

"Ironman…"

"Who are you?" Tony asked with his heart racing faster.

Nomad smiled and walked a few steps. "I think you could guess who I am, after all, we just fought together. You knew my moves as I knew yours. But if you can't imagine it, let me tell you. I am Captain America."

No way.

"He was… he was dead. Newspapers…" Tony stuttered.

"No, he was a good young boy. I shouldn't let him took the shield. I am the real Captain America… the one you name an Avenger."

Nomad raised both hands to take off the mask. "I am Steven Grant Rogers."

Only silence was between them because Tony couldn't speak. He was ready to accept that a stranger was his Soulmate when such stranger was the same man who invaded his dreams, hopes, and days. Steve spoke again, worried.

"Are you… did you see it, right? Our red thread."

Tony remained in silence, he tried but he couldn't.

"Ironman?"

Steve frowned then and he took a few steps, trying to reach the helmet but Tony slapped his hand not with force, scared. Very scared. On the other hand, if his Soulmate were some else, things could work better.

What Steve was going to say?

That man smiled at him. "It's okay, I'm afraid too, but… look at the red thread. There isn't a mistake here."

"Y-You don't understand…"

"Let me see your face, please."

"You will be disappointed," Tony wanted to cry.

"Could you let me be my choice to make?"

"I am not…"

"Please."

Tony took a deep breath, thinking about how fast he could fly from that situation before removed his helmet with trembling hands. Steve offered a warm smile, playing nervously with his mask in his hands. Tony was looking at the ground, shaking a little. He raised his head to let Steve saw his face, a stunned one.

"T-Tony Stark…?"

"I…" Tony's eyes hurt, tears were coming, "I understand…"

The next thing he knew was Steve's arms holding him tight, with a low laugh that sound more like a sob. Now his red thread was shining because they were together.

"Tony. Tony."

"Steve?"

"Thank God it was you."

"You… wanted me?"

Steve looked at him, happy as a puppy. "Of course! I mean…" He coughed, "You… come on, Tony. If there was someone who can make me live at this time, it's you. If someone can make me choose to live here forever it's you."

"Steve," A big smile appeared in Tony's face, "I thought… we… I'm sorry for being a fool."

"Then we are two fools here, pal. I made a big mistake saying those things to you."

"But you were right."

"Tony…"

He smiled. "I know. Shut up. We're Soulmates. That's crazy."

"And very good."

"Tell me you aren't disappointed because Ironman and Tony Stark are the same."

"Tell me you aren't disgusted because Nomad was trying to copy Captain America and failed."

Both laughed, looking at each other. They have a long way as Soulmates. Steve's hand took Tony's.

"Do you want me as your mate, Tony?"

"Of course, always."

"Do you want to be mine?"

"If you fill the requirements, yes."

Steve laughed and Tony felt alive again.

"I like the challenge."

Silence came again, but this time, Tony moved forward and kissed Steve, leaving him blinking and smiling.

"Tony?"

"What would you say if I tell you about a woman that never existed?"

* * *

Steve and Tony

Steve walked in the workshop, was about to ask Tony why he was taking so much time to be ready. They had a date, and Cap liked to be early in the restaurant. He founded his Soulmate very concentrate on a model, finishing the details.

"Sweetheart?"

Tony raised his head and smiled at him. "I'll be ready in a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"Something."

"Something?" Steve reached the worktable to see, "Tony, is that…?"

"Yeah, I wanted to remember the moment. Do you like it?"

"Very much, Tony. I didn't know that you like crafts."

"Only for us, for this," Tony admired his work and stood, kissing Steve's cheek, "I have to change, wait for me in the car?"

"Sure. Don't be late."

"Never."

Tony ran out of the workshop, singing an old melody. Steve rolled his eyes, smiling at the lovely model with two hand-knitted dolls joined with a red thread. A little Nomad and a little Ironman. Steve giggled; he knew the scene very well. When they realized who was their Soulmate. When Steve returned as Captain America and to the Avengers when Tony came back as Ironman and to his life. A new one in the new world where he woke up. He narrowed his eyes at the name in the red thread, the Stark's touch at the model.

_Gretl_.

"I'M READY!"

"That was fast."

"You should be in the car, Mr. Rogers."

"The vision of you stop me."

"What a romantic man. Now, let's go or we'll lose the table."

With a last look at the two knitted dolls, Steven nodded, taking Tony's hand and leaving the workshop. 

**THE END**


End file.
